There are 20 pages about Sandhills & Scenic Rivers

A new day dawns, and the sun rises as if being born from the shallow rivulet flowing through this wild and wide, grassy plain. A watchful mother zebra leads last night’s colt to water’s edge, instinctively peering into the murkiness for danger. Nearby, antelope a

BeeHaven Farm Roadside Market, Photo by Alan J. Bartels
Turning north from Kimball, State Highway 71 will take you past Harrisburg. The Banner County Museum is an 11-building complex that includes a 19th-century log schoolhouse, sod house, log cabin, 1910 barn, pioneer church and the old Banner C

Photo by Alan J. Bartels
The community of Gordon was founded at the site of a solitary willow tree on the banks of the Antelope Creek. The lone tree served as a landmark for Indians and early pioneers and was a popular meeting place. The tree is still alive on the eastern edge of town. Cowboy mem

Photo by Alan J. Bartels
Hemingford is 18 miles northwest of Alliance and features year-round holiday events, including the Harvest Moon Festival and the Avenue of Flags. Hemingford displays more than 200 American flags along its streets during various holidays, such as July 4th weekend, Flag Day

Cowboys and Carhenge

Photo by Christopher Amundson
Alliance has a long lineage of agriculture, business, industry and railroading. Rogues, rascals and visionaries have colored the town’s history since its very beginnings in 1888. Alliance has grown from a frontier town to a bustling community

About 40 miles west of Tryon on Highway 92, Arthur is the only town in Arthur County. The ranching town boasts the world’s smallest courthouse. The 26-by-28-foot white frame building was built a year after Arthur County seceded from McPherson County back in 1913.
The former Pilgrim Holiness

Photo by Rick Neibel/Nebraska Tourism
The museum of the McPherson County Historical Society includes a historic bank, sod house and area artifacts. This area sparse in human population grazes huge numbers of cattle in surrounding lands. The long history of ranching in the area is also chronicled

Photo by Alan J. Bartels
Look for the windmill in the center of Main Street. Hyannis is home of the Windmill Days celebration each June. The Grant County Museum in the courthouse, 105 E. Harrison St., displays area history and oddities such as props from John Wayne’s stunt man and a world-c

Mullen sits at the geographic heart of the Sandhills. For a region known for its striking beauty, it’s appropriate that one of the world’s best golf courses stretches out across the land here. Sand Hills Golf Club is an 18-hole private golf course designed by pro golfer Ben Crenshaw. G

Thedford is a crossroads community along Highway 2. Highway 83 leads north to Valentine and south to North Platte.
The Thedford Art Gallery, 509 Court St., sells framed photography, sculptures, pottery, jewelry and other art. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, May 1-Dec. 30; open the rest of th

For the westward traveler, Highway 2, the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway, heads northwest from Grand Island, passes the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey, crosses the lake country of the western Sandhills, then exits the region near Alliance and turns north toward the Pine Ridge. This byway is ra

The “Heart City” is near the Niobrara National Scenic River. Outfitters provide everything needed for fun floating. Five miles east of Valentine on Highway 12, bison and elk roam Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. Attractions include, Smith Falls, Merritt Reservoir, McKelvie National For

New Golf Club Valentine
Valentine has a new 10-hole public course opening during the summer of 2016. Frederick Peak is set in scenic hills and was designed by golfing legend Tom Lehman.
The origin of the name of the landmark peak north of Valentine is uncertain. One tale recounts a settler by

Three scenic courses await golfers at the world-class Prairie Club in the sand hills south of Valentine near Merritt Reservoir
The Prairie Club is a world-class links style golf club south of Valentine. It has two 18-hole courses and a 10-hole course along the Snake River. The “Dunes”

Tour Valentine's Fish Hatchery
Located in a pine-covered valley one mile east and one mile north of Valentine, the Valentine Fish Hatchery is one of five hatcheries in Nebraska. Because demand for fish exceeds natural supply, the state has operated hatcheries for more than a century.
Sprea

Special events throughout the year create unforgettable family memories at Western Nebraska’s only zoo. Birthday parties, live music concerts, after hours events and holiday celebrations have visitors, and the zoo’s big cats, roaring loudly with approval. (308) 630-6236.

Late December through the first weekend of March. Water discharged from the Kingsley Hydroplant creates open water on Lake Ogallala, attracting bald eagles. View from the heated facility below the dam. (800) 658-4390.